dbcve.org
CliApplication · Bitwarden

CVE-2026-42994

CRITICAL · 9.8 CVSS v3.1 Published 2026-05-01
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
100/100
Remediation priority · Urgent
Remotely reachable No privileges Zero-click

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
Bitwarden CLI 2026.4.0 from 2026-04-22T21:57Z to 2026-04-22T23:30Z, when obtained from npm, had embedded malicious code. This is related to a Checkmarx supply chain incident.

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis · high confidence

Bitwarden CLI version 2026.4.0, published to npm during a narrow 1.5-hour window on 2026-04-22, contained malicious code embedded through a Checkmarx supply chain incident. Users who installed this specific version during this time window may have compromised clients in their environments.

MitigationImmediately identify and remove any installations of Bitwarden CLI 2026.4.0, audit affected systems for indicators of compromise, and update to a patched version once available. This is a supply chain compromise requiring both remediation and forensic investigation.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

NVD · CPE data
CliApplication
Affected:= 2026.4.0

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Check installed Bitwarden CLI version
    Run `bw --version` or `npm list @bitwarden/cli` to retrieve the currently installed version
    Affected if Version displayed is exactly 2026.4.0
  2. Check npm installation timestamp
    Run `npm list -g @bitwarden/cli --depth=0` to view global installation details including the installation date, or check npm cache logs for installation timestamps
    Affected if Package was installed on 2026-04-22 during the 1.5-hour window (approximately 2026-04-22T00:00:00Z to 2026-04-22T01:30:00Z)
  3. Verify package source and integrity
    Run `npm view @bitwarden/cli version` to confirm what version npm currently serves, and compare hash/checksum if available
    Affected if The installed version is 2026.4.0 but npm now serves a different version for that release number

User is affected if Bitwarden CLI version 2026.4.0 is currently installed and was obtained during the compromised 1.5-hour window on 2026-04-22.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

dbcve · scoped
Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime
Mitigation

Immediately identify and remove any installations of Bitwarden CLI 2026.4.0, audit affected systems for indicators of compromise, and update to a patched version once available. This is a supply chain compromise requiring both remediation and forensic investigation.

Recommended fix High confidence

Any version after 2026.4.0 (reinstall latest from npm or download directly from bitwarden.com)

  1. 1. Check if you installed or updated the Bitwarden CLI during the affected window: 2026-04-22T21:57Z to 2026-04-22T23:30Z
  2. 2. If installed during this window, immediately uninstall the current Bitwarden CLI version: npm uninstall -g @bitwarden/cli
  3. 3. Clear npm cache to ensure no cached malicious package remains: npm cache clean --force
  4. 4. Reinstall the Bitwarden CLI from the official npm registry: npm install -g @bitwarden/cli
  5. 5. Verify the installed version is NOT 2026.4.0: bw --version
  6. 6. If you have reason to believe the malicious version was executed, rotate any credentials that may have been exposed through the Bitwarden CLI
  7. 7. Report any suspicious activity to Bitwarden security through their official channels

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Cli Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation4.0 h
  • Implementation8.0 h
  • Testing4.0 h
  • Review / QA3.0 h
19.0 hours of engineering $3,380
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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2026-42994 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data